Chapter 9: Shy
Luo Jinxiao sighed inwardly and looked up, meeting Qu Weiyin’s gaze.
Oh, what cruel fate is this? she lamented silently. Is there no one else in the entire Wuhui Sect to teach this lesson?
Qu Weiyin, on the other hand, didn’t seem surprised. She looked Luo Jinxiao up and down, taking in the sight of the young girl in her worn-out clothes that seemed to emphasize her slender frame. Aside from her pale complexion, her eyes and hair were strikingly dark. When she opened her eyes wide, she resembled a wild yet innocent animal.
“And your robes?” Qu Weiyin asked, her expression indifferent.
“I don’t have them, Junior Shishu,” Luo Jinxiao replied, deciding to face her directly.
Qu Weiyin frowned slightly, then nodded. “Come see me after class.”
“Today’s lesson is about summoning spirit beasts. They called me to teach because I’m well-versed in formations. But a summoning formation is the simplest one. Every disciple entering Wuhui Sect should already know it.”
As Qu Weiyin spoke, her gaze swept across the room, carrying an air of authority that made everyone lower their heads subconsciously.
“Who wants to give it a try?” she asked.
“Hey, waste, why don’t you go?” someone whispered behind Luo Jinxiao, poking her back.
Luo Jinxiao frowned, ignoring the provocation. But then, a sudden sharp pain shot through her neck. She instinctively leaned forward, right into Qu Weiyin’s line of sight.
“Junior Shishu, she wants to try!” Yan Ying called out from behind. Luo Jinxiao whipped her head around, catching the smug grin on Yan Ying’s face.
Luo Jinxiao’s eyes turned cold. She turned back around and stood up.
The other disciples gasped, seeing her dare to rise. Laughter filled the room. Only Lu Fanzhi seemed worried, tugging at her sleeve nervously.
“It’s fine,” Luo Jinxiao reassured her with a glance, then walked towards Qu Weiyin and stood before her.
It was then that Qu Weiyin realized, despite her young age, this girl was actually taller than her.
Qu Weiyin stepped back to give her space. Unconsciously, she felt a flicker of anticipation, her gaze following Luo Jinxiao’s every move.
In truth, formations were incredibly easy for Luo Jinxiao, especially a basic summoning formation. Her only worry was whether this body, with its lack of talent, would be able to summon anything at all.
Picking up a brush from the table, she knelt down on one knee and began to draw. Her movements were swift and sure, without a moment’s hesitation. Soon, a complete summoning formation took shape.
“Look, is that even a summoning formation?” someone whispered.
“It looks like one, and a high-level one at that. But didn’t she never have a spiritual root? How could she possibly know such an advanced formation?”
Luo Jinxiao ignored the whispers, focusing on perfecting every stroke. Beside her, Qu Weiyin’s eyes widened in surprise.
Qu Weiyin tilted her head slightly. From this angle, all she could see was the back of Luo Jinxiao’s neck. The girl’s skin was delicate and pale, her hair cascading down her back, revealing a faint scar.
Qu Weiyin’s eyes turned cold as she glanced towards Yan Ying.
“Done,” Luo Jinxiao announced cheerfully, standing up and dusting off her hands. She turned to face Qu Weiyin.
Gone was the timid girl from before. Her eyes now shone with confidence.
“Not bad,” Qu Weiyin said calmly. She gestured for Luo Jinxiao to return to her place, then raised an eyebrow. “You, come here.”
Yan Ying, still fuming that Luo Jinxiao hadn’t embarrassed herself, jumped when she heard Qu Weiyin call her name.
“The formation is ready. Try summoning a spirit beast,” Qu Weiyin instructed.
“Disciple… Disciple doesn’t know how…” Yan Ying stammered, unable to utter anything else.
“You can’t even manage something this simple? What a disgrace to the Wuhui Sect.” Qu Weiyin said coldly. Her gaze was sharp as a blade, sending chills down Yan Ying’s spine.
Yan Ying lowered her head, a mixture of anger and shame bubbling within her, but she didn’t dare to talk back.
“The formation is decent, but it’s not what we’re learning today.” With a wave of Qu Weiyin’s hand, the formation on the ground vanished, replaced by a simple, first-level summoning formation.
“Today, you will all copy this formation and attempt to summon a low-level spirit beast. Once you succeed, you may leave. You,” she said, turning to Luo Jinxiao, “follow me.”
Luo Jinxiao, still reveling in Yan Ying’s humiliation, didn’t register that the “you” was directed at her. It was only when Lu Fanzhi frantically winked at her that she looked up in confusion.
By the time she did, Qu Weiyin was already standing before her, a look of displeasure on her face.
It seemed Qu Weiyin disliked being ignored. With a flick of her wrist, Luo Jinxiao felt as if an invisible force had bound her. Her upper body froze, stiff as a board, unable to speak. Only her legs remained mobile.
And so she stumbled along, dragged behind Qu Weiyin, until after what felt like ages, Qu Weiyin grabbed her shoulder, and in a blink, they vanished from the training grounds.
“Ow…” Luo Jinxiao gasped, landing unceremoniously on her backside. Before she could even rub her bruised back, a piece of cloth was thrown over her head.
“This was mine once. You can have it,” Qu Weiyin’s voice said calmly.
Luo Jinxiao yanked the cloth off her face to find a set of light blue robes, identical to the ones worn by the other disciples, except the fabric felt finer, almost luxurious. It was the middle of summer, yet the material felt cool and smooth against her skin, like water from a deep well.
“Stop staring, I won’t harm you. Just repaying a favor,” Qu Weiyin said, reclining on a beautiful couch. Her long legs were crossed, revealing a glimpse of bare skin and a delicate feet.
Luo Jinxiao averted her gaze, focusing on the robes in her hands.
“I made some adjustments to it. It’ll keep you warm in winter and cool in summer,” Qu Weiyin said. As if by magic, a steaming cup of tea appeared in her hand.
She took a sip, her pale lips parting slightly. A look of contentment crossed her face as she closed her eyes briefly.
“If there’s nothing else, you may leave,” she said.
Luo Jinxiao clutched the robes, unsure what to say. “Thank you,” she mumbled, shuffling towards the door. But just as she was about to step out, she paused and turned back.
“What about the spirit stone…?”
“What about the spirit stone, you little waste?” Qu Weiyin asked, opening her eyes. They were bright and clear, like stars against the night sky, mesmerizing in their intensity.
Luo Jinxiao felt her throat tighten, rendering her speechless. It was true, she thought, that beauty could be captivating, even if it belonged to a ruthless, unpredictable Demon Lord.
“With my level of cultivation, fixing a broken spirit stone is but a trivial matter. Don’t worry, I won’t kill you for it. But,” Qu Weiyin added, a sly smile playing on her lips, “don’t tempt fate by breaking anything else.”
Her slender, fair hand slipped into her sleeve and emerged with a perfectly intact spirit stone. However, upon closer inspection, faint cracks could be seen.
Luo Jinxiao, for some reason, felt a wave of relief wash over her.
It seems, deep down, she felt a bit guilty about retaliating, she thought, blushing.
“Good. You’re not completely foolish,” Qu Weiyin said, pocketing the spirit stone. She suddenly stood, her silken robes cascading down to conceal her bare ankles.
Step by step, she approached Luo Jinxiao, who instinctively retreated until her back met the wall, leaving her trapped.
“Why are you so afraid of me?” Qu Weiyin asked, frowning. She tilted her head up slightly to meet Luo Jinxiao’s eyes. “Do you really believe I would kill someone?”
Luo Jinxiao pressed her back against the wall, almost in tears, thinking, Wouldn’t you?
Who was it that slaughtered entire sects in the past life?
Qu Weiyin seemed amused by her reaction. With a flick of her wrist, a crimson sword materialized in her hand, humming faintly as if alive.
The Crescent Star Sword. Legend had it that a single stroke from this sword could reduce even an immortal to ashes.
Luo Jinxiao tensed, every muscle in her body on high alert.
“You’re right to be afraid. I do kill. Especially you. If you breathe a word of what you saw in the spring the other day, I’ll make sure you never reincarnate,” Qu Weiyin whispered, her voice a husky murmur that sent shivers down Luo Jinxiao’s spine. It was both terrifying and strangely alluring.
Luo Jinxiao took a deep breath and, in a sudden burst of courage, reached out and grabbed Qu Weiyin’s wrist.
Qu Weiyin, caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events, flinched and instinctively pulled back.
Luo Jinxiao, in turn, took a step forward. To anyone watching, it would seem as if she were the one forcing the fearsome Demon Lord to retreat.
“What are you doing?” Qu Weiyin snapped, her playful tone vanishing. Her eyes hardened, and the air grew heavy with killing intent.
Luo Jinxiao had intended to feign ignorance, to act as if she had seen nothing that day. But suddenly, she sensed a chaotic surge of spiritual energy within Qu Weiyin. Without thinking, she tightened her grip.
“Don’t use your spiritual energy,” she said softly.
Qu Weiyin frowned, her expression shifting. She loosened her grip, letting the Crescent Star Sword clatter to the ground, releasing the sword spirit, who rolled around and cursed loudly.
“Damn it, who dared to drop me?!” the tiny, disembodied voice screeched.
Qu Weiyin ignored it. She allowed Luo Jinxiao to hold her wrist, her eyes filled with curiosity. “Keep your mind calm, don’t think about anything,” Luo Jinxiao instructed, her own heart pounding. She locked eyes with Qu Weiyin, slowly releasing her own spiritual energy, letting it flow gently around the other woman.
Qu Weiyin felt a warm current spread from their touching hands, spreading gradually throughout her body.
In her previous life, Luo Jinxiao had extensively studied Gu techniques, which allowed her to sense the changes within Qu Weiyin’s body. There was no time to think about anything else; saving her was the priority.
Qu Weiyin felt the odd sensation too and struggled lightly, seemingly mistrustful of Luo Jinxiao, trying to pull her hand away.
“Every time you use your spiritual energy to suppress it, you’re only aggravating the instability in your spiritual roots. You just haven’t noticed it yet,” Luo Jinxiao said, frowning. She tightened her grip and pulled Qu Weiyin closer.
Qu Weiyin stumbled forward, closing the distance between them. Her heart fluttered as if something had fallen into it.
It was only then that she took a good look at the young girl before her. Her features were delicate and youthful, with a straight nose and clear skin. Though beautiful, she didn’t appear fragile. Her lips were a touch pale, and her expression, when she wasn’t speaking, was rather serious.
This Gu… when was it planted? Luo Jinxiao wondered, her brow furrowing in concentration. It seems to have been with her since childhood. But she quickly pushed those thoughts aside. Right now, her priority was to analyze the Gu poison afflicting Qu Weiyin.
Qu Weiyin’s body was beginning to sway. She bit her lip, refusing to lean on Luo Jinxiao, and attempted to step back. But Luo Jinxiao swiftly moved, wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her.
The sword spirit finally climbed up from the ground, her eyes wide in disbelief. She thought she must still be dreaming.
“This is unbelievable!” she exclaimed, her tiny legs wobbling as she sat down.
The fearsome, short-tempered Demon Lord, whom everyone trembled before, was being held by a mere girl.
I must still be dreaming! the sword spirit thought, hiccupping before diving back into the sword.
“Don’t be afraid. And don’t move,” Luo Jinxiao said, her focus solely on calming the turmoil within Qu Weiyin. She carefully channeled her limited spiritual energy, slowly suppressing the chaos.
Qu Weiyin rarely heard such a gentle voice. Since her father’s death, she had been cultivating alone. Fortunately, she was intelligent and could master many things without a teacher.
Later, as the supreme Demon Lord, she possessed unmatched power. No one dared to show her concern, nor was anyone qualified to.
She had grown used to solitude.
Now, faced with this little waste’s unexpected kindness, she found herself strangely powerless to resist.
“Almost done,” Luo Jinxiao murmured, taking a step closer for better control. But Qu Weiyin suddenly spoke.
“Get back,” she hissed, her face flushed, though her tone was as fiercely serious.
